Xavier, Mercyhurst Set for Friday Night Matchup

Friday, November 15

Cincinnati, Ohio

7 p.m.

Xavier University

Mercyhurst

Tickets

Xavier, Mercyhurst Set for Friday Night Matchup

11.13.24 | Women's Basketball

Live Stats Watch Live (FloCollege)XU Notes (PDF)Buy Tickets

Tip-off is slated for 7 p.m. from Cintas Center

By: Greg Lautzenheiser, Xavier Athletic Communications

CINCINNATI - Xavier women's basketball continues its homestand on Friday, Nov. 15 vs Mercyhurst. Tip-off is set for 7 p.m. from Cintas Center.

GAME INFORMATION

XAVIER MUSKETEERS (1-1) vs MERCYHURST LAKERS (1-2)
Game Info - Friday, Nov. 15 - 7 p.m. ET - Cintas Center (10,224)
Live Stats - bit.ly/48N3kqg
Watch Live (FloSports) - flosports.link/3RvqOqo

ABOUT MERCYHURST

2024-25 Record: 1-2
2023-24 Record: 18-11 (14-8 PSAC)
2024 Postseason: None
Last Meeting: First Meeting

NOTABLES
• Mercyhurst was picked to finish tied for eighth in the Preseason Northeast Conference Coaches' Poll. The Lakers posted an 18-11 (14-8 PSAC) record last season at the NCAA Division II level. Mercyhurst is playing in its first season at the NCAA Division I level under the direction of sixth-year head coach Brooklyn Kohlheim.
• The Lakers are coming off a 67-51 win over Davis & Elkins on Nov. 12. Mercyhurst played at No. 6 Notre Dame on Nov. 4 (L, 105-61) and DePaul on Nov. 6 (L, 74-53).
• Bailey Kuhns leads three Lakers averaging double figures this season with 16.3 points per game. Jenna Van Schaik has added 11.3 points per game, while Cici Hernandez has added 10.7 points per game. Allyson Ross is averaging a team-high 4.3 rebounds per game to go along with 5.7 points per game.

LAST TIME OUT

Xavier is coming off a 71-66 win over Miami (Ohio) on Nov. 10 at Cintas Center.
Xavier posted a .512 field-goal percentage (25-for-48), the team's best field-goal percentage since Feb. 20, 2022 (.524 at Butler; W, 73-54).
The Musketeers went 10-for-24 from behind the arc, the first time Xavier has made 10 or more three pointers in a game since Dec. 20, 2023 (11-for-27 vs DePaul; L, 76-55).
Xavier forced 21 turnovers, converting the miscues into 25 points. The Musketeers held a 23-11 advantage in bench points and scored two more points in the paint (26-24). Xavier also scored 13 more fastbreak points (15-2). The RedHawks held a 17-0 advantage in second-chance points and pulled down 11 more rebounds (35-24) than Xavier.
Xavier has posted 10 or more steals in both games this season.
Daniela López scored a career-high 15 points on 5-for-8 shooting with three 3-pointers. She added four rebounds and two steals in 26 minutes of action off the bench. The sophomore guard has eight career double-figure scoring games.
Meri Kanerva scored 14 points on 6-for-10 shooting. The freshman guard added four assists and two steals.
Tae'lor Purvis finished with 12 points on 5-for-6 shooting. She now has seven career double-figure scoring games. The senior guard chipped in two assists and two steals.
Irune Orio posted 11 points on 4-for-6 shooting. The junior guard added three rebounds. She now has 15 career double-figure scoring games.
Petra Oborilova finished with six points and a game-high six assists. The six assists are a career high for the junior forward. The six assists are the most in a game by a Xavier player since Dec. 20, 2023 vs DePaul (Tae'lor Purvis had six assists).
Xavier scored 70 or more points in a game for the first time since Nov. 27, 2022 at SIUE (W, 76-65).
The Musketeers had four players in double figures for the first time since Jan. 24, 2024 vs Butler (L, 90-57).
The win snapped a 20-game losing streak dating back to Dec. 15, 2023 vs SIUE (W, 68-53).
Xavier scored 27 points in the opening quarter vs the RedHawks, the most points in a quarter for the Musketeers since Nov. 13, 2022 vs Saint Francis (PA) at Cintas Center. The Musketeers scored 28 points in the third quarter vs the Red Flash (W, 78-52).

SCHEDULE NOTES

The Musketeers open conference action on Wednesday, Dec. 4 vs Creighton at Cintas Center.
Xavier will play two games on national television: Jan. 8 at UConn (SNY) and Feb. 8 at Seton Hall (FS1).
Xavier will play six home non-conference games at Cintas Center, including four straight to open the 2024-25 season. The Musketeers will play a total of 15 home games during the season (including nine home BIG EAST games).
Xavier will play teams from six different leagues during non-conference action: Mid-American (4), Horizon, Sun Belt, Big 12, Mountain West and Northeast. The Musketeers non-conference opponents combined to make three postseason appearances last season.
The Musketeers play host to Cincinnati on Sunday, Dec. 15 in the Skyline Chili Crosstown Shootout. Xavier has won three straight home games in the series, most recently at 48-35 win on Dec. 9, 2022.
Xavier will play three opponents for the first time in program history in Arkansas State, Mercyhurst and San Jose State.
Xavier will be playing Bowling Green, Kent State, Miami (Ohio), Temple and Youngstown State for the second time in as many seasons.
The Musketeers have won 61 non-conference games over the last eight seasons with a 49-16 mark at Cintas Center.

ABOUT THE MUSKETEERS

Xavier enters the season with 12 international players from the following countries: Spain (4), Finland, Australia, Slovakia, Croatia, Germany, Serbia, England, Republic of Georgia.
Xavier returns six letterwinners from the 2023-24 season, highlighted by Aizhanique Mayo who earned All-BIG EAST Freshman Team honors. The guard ranked second in conference only games among freshman in scoring, averaging 9.8 points per game. The Musketeers also return graduate student Tae'lor Purvis who led the team in assists (69) and steals (43) a year ago. The guard ranked 12th in the BIG EAST in steals last season.
The Musketeers also welcome back sophomores Júlia Garcia Roig and Daniela López. The Spanish guards combined to average 9.4 points and 3.9 rebounds during their freshmen campaigns, while adding 82 assists and 37 steals.
Second-year head coach Billi Chambers welcomes eight newcomers to the team this summer, including local standout MacKenzie Givens (Cincinnati, Ohio/Princeton HS). Xavier also returns Loren Christie who brings a wealth of experience to the frontcourt, having played in 104 games during her college career - including a game in the 2022 NCAA Tournament. She missed the 2023-24 season due to injury.

XAVIER BASKETBALL HISTORY

Xavier has made nine NCAA Tournament appearances, most recently advancing to the tournament's second round in 2011.
The Musketeers' best NCAA Tournament finish was in 2001 and 2010 as XU advanced to the Elite Eight.

PRESEASON COACHES POLL

1. UConn – 100 (10 first-place votes)
2. Creighton – 91 (1)
3. Providence – 71
4. St. John's - 67
5. Georgetown – 66
6. Villanova – 56
7. Seton Hall – 51
8. Butler – 46
9. DePaul – 24
10. Marquette - 23
11. Xavier - 10

TICKET INFORMATION

Single-game tickets start as low as $10. Group tickets can be purchased for $3 (Groups of 15-24) and $2 (Groups of 25-99).
Fans can purchase season tickets for as low as $50 for 15 home games.
Xavier faculty and staff receive two complimentary tickets to all home games. Tickets can be claimed by showing your Xavier ID at the main ticket office window at the south entrance to Cintas Center.
For more information on season tickets, single-game tickets and group tickets - fans can contact the Xavier Athletics Ticket Office at (513) 745-3411 x7 or tickets@xavier.edu

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